Taking Back What's Mine

01.

Four reads! Am I famous yet? Lmao.

Athena Carter

Five years later...

"Mommy."

Just pretend you don't hear him.

"Mommy..."

Keep acting like you're asleep!

"Mommyyyyy."

Maybe he'll go away if I keep pretending.

"Mommy, I know you're awake."

"No, I'm not."

I heard the sound of laughter fill my ears and a weight suddenly come beside me. I open my eyes and was instantly met with light grayish orbs.

"See, mommy. I caught you!" He laughed, pointing an accusing finger at me. Chuckling, I sat up and gather my four year old son, Mathias, inside my arms. "Okay, you caught me," I said pecking his cheek. "Did you brush your teeth?"

He groaned dramatically, "Do I have too?" Thias complained.

"I'll skip your birthday if you don't start brushing your teeth without me having to tell you," I warned. He was turning five next month and I already had his birthday planned. I was excited as much as him, even though I didn't want him to grow any more.

"No, Mommy. You can't skip my birthday," he whined. "That means I won't be five and I'll be four again!"

I laugh at his beliefs and start making my way to the bathroom with Thias still in my arms. "Why, what's wrong with being four again? You're growing too fast. Can't you stay like this forever?"

"No, cause who's going to take care of you when you get old? I will. Your boyfriend won't cause you won't have one," he explains as I set him on the bathroom counter.

"Are you saying I'm too ugly for a boyfriend?" I pretend to wipe away fake tears.

"No, mama. They are too ugly for you," he said seriously. He took my hand from my face and held it, "You don't need a boyfriend, okay? And you're the most prettiest woman in the world."

He's really been against the idea of me having a boyfriend, or for his matter, a daddy. He noticed how other kids had a father, whereas he didn't. When he asked me where his dad was, I simply said he's a busy man working across the world. When reality he was actually across the United States. I fled here to California from New York after what had happened.

When Thias asked if he loved us, I told him he loved us so much that he had to go away. I didn't want to give him the idea that his father was cruel and not loving. Thias was smart, though. He didn't believe anything I said to him, because he ended up telling me 'But he left you. Daddy didn't love you mama. He didn't love me.' I tried changing his mind saying that he was saving the galaxy and fighting aliens, but he only responded with 'Then he must be the bad guy cause aliens are cool.' Of course, whatever Thias thought, it stuck.

"Right, because I have you," I beamed. I wasn't really fixated on the idea of having another marriage, or simply dating for that matter. It's not because my last marriage I ended up heartbroken, no never that. Ever since Mathias came in this world, nothing else mattered to me but him. I was completely over Roman King and I can shout it to the world, not that it's their business. I forgave the man I once called husband and the idea of him didn't bother me at all. I'm a stronger woman now than I was back then. Sure, I had my heartaches and I became so depressed, but I had a baby to take care of, and Roman was not going to take that away from me. Trust me. Try getting pregnant and everything changes.